Office panelling systems for subdividing office space to define different work areas have gained wide acceptance in North America. These systems are typically frame-based systems with releasable elements individually secured to the frames. A panelling system of this type is shown in our U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,577. This patent discloses a frame-based office panelling system where the frames have a series of horizontal members extending thereacross which are used to support and retain releasable elements. These elements, together with certain exposed portions of the frame, define a finished surface of the office panelling system. There are other frame-based systems which have an open rectangular frame and releasable elements are individually secured to the frame to effectively cover the office panel. The elements are releasably secured to the column members of the frame and the elements generally abut at opposed horizontal edges.
Office panelling systems also use releasable elements of varying configuration individually secured to the underlying frame. For example, some of these releasable elements include a series of horizontal slots to which a series of file trays or other accessories can be secured. It is also known to have a pair of opposed releasable elements secured on opposite sides of a frame define a light transmitting port through the frame of the office panel. This light transmitting port can include a single glass pane or double glass panes.
It has long been recognized that it is desirable to secure from the frames large rectangular accessories of a size similar to an element which render the work space more appropriate for the task to be carried out. The frames of the office panel are designed to support work surfaces to one side of the frame, support hanging overhead file cabinets, hanging file cabinets for desks, tackboards releasably secured between opposed vertical members of a frame, acoustical elements, easily cleaned elements having a hard exterior surface, and even elements which provide cooling of the work space or equipment in the work space.
Prior to the acceptance of frame-based office panelling systems covered with releasable elements, it was recognized that light transmitting office panels could improve the work space environment. Therefore, office panels which have a transparent portion through which light can transmit have been used for many years by many manufacturers.
In some office layouts, it is desirable to have a single pane of glass associated with one side of the office panel frame with the opposite side of the panel open. This arrangement exposes the interior surface of the glass pane to accidental or deliberate forces and can cause problems due to accidental removal thereof.
With existing systems, it is also difficult to achieve an accurate seam between components applied on opposite sides of the frame and which abut on an interior finished surface of a port through an office panel.
The present invention overcomes some of the disadvantages of the prior art systems. According to a preferred aspects, the office panel has improved safety characteristics and improved visual appearance.